Hold You Under
by pyro07
Summary: "I'm coming only to hold you under. I'm coming up only to show you wrong." Skins US. Tea/Michelle
1. Another Day

**A/N: A friend advised me to watch the US version of Skins and as I watched I thought "why not Tea and Michelle?" So here's what stemmed from that. It's the first time I've tried anything with Skins or these characters so I hope I don't mess up too bad.**

**Thoughts are in _italics._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins. If I did, Michelle would dump Tony and hook up with Tea. Oh and the lyrics in the summary belong to Band of Horses - "The Funeral".**

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Tea woke up to the sound of her brother screaming at her door. She had got in late after another night getting blasted, _thanks Chris_, and her head was telling her that she had drank way too much…again. She smacked her lips together, hating the dry, sticky taste and deciding to rinse her mouth out before heading down for breakfast with her family. Her phone vibrated on her nightstand.

**Going out again tonight, you in?** **– Chris**

Tea rolled her eyes, wincing at the pain the action caused her.

**Yeah, give me the details at school – Tea**

**Yes! We're getting shit-faced tonight! – Chris**

_Don't we always?_ Tea texted the appropriate response and left her phone on her bed.

Seeing no one in the bathroom, she washed her face and rinsed out her mouth. Her reflection stared back at her when she raised her head. _I look like shit_. Her eyes looked back at her, telling her that she still felt something…missing. All the alcohol, drugs, girls, nothing was helping. She still felt like she was going through the motions and no one would stop her world from spinning. Tea grimaced before heading out again to her room. A flash of light indicated a missed call on her phone.

_Tony_. She was tired of telling him no. he didn't understand that she liked girls and he had a dick. No matter how compatible he thought they were, he was still a guy and Tea didn't do guys. Maybe they matched on an intellectual level but the bottom line was that Tea liked girls. Not to mention the fact that he was with Michelle. Thinking of Michelle made Tea's head begin pounding again. Neither of them had told Michelle what had happened on her blind date with "some guy". She still wasn't sure if she would tell her, knowing how Michelle would be with the both of them. _She's my friend and I screwed her over, maybe there is something wrong with me_.

"Tea! You're going to be late for school if you don't come and eat now."

"Coming Dad!"

Tea deleted Tony's call. She'd deal with him at school or not at all. Right now she was hungry and needed to eat before heading off for school. Maybe Tony would get the hint and stop calling. _Or maybe not, it's Tony after all_. Tony wasn't happy until he got whatever he wanted, whether it made him a bad person or not, it didn't matter as long as he won.

Tea walked out of her bedroom and down to where her family had begun eating breakfast. They talked over each other, as usual, while Nana carried out her one-sided conversations. Tea watched her for a little, now seeing her grandmother in a way she had never tried to before. She shook her head and ate her breakfast as quickly as she could. Once she was done she placed her dish by the sink and headed off to pick up her bag where she had left it by the stairs.

"Do you need me to pick you up today?" Her dad asked as she walked by him.

"No. I have practice so I'll just get the bus back when I'm done."

"Okay. Thanks again for the other night," he stated, lowering his voice so his wife wouldn't hear their conversation.

"It wasn't a bid deal Dad," Tea answered lowering her head to kiss her Dad on the cheek. "See you tonight."

"Be good!" Her mother shouted after her as she opened the front door. Tea rolled her eyes before replying that she would be.

Daisy was already waiting outside for them to catch the bus together. Tea smiled a little, glad for the distraction her friend could give her right now. As long as they talked about last night's party she'd be fine.

"You look rough," Daisy greeted her stoically.

"Yeah well it was a long night." Tea replied.

"You get any?"

"Nope. All the girls there seemed kind of…dumb."

"That's never stopped you before."

Tea chuckled, "No it hasn't but I didn't feel the need to try last night to get past their inane babbling."

"Sure Tay. Ready?"

"Yup." Tea threw an arm over Daisy's shoulder and they proceeded to walk down the street to the bus stop. She was glad that all Daisy wanted to talk about was last night. It kept her thought process clear and simple. _Let's just get through today Tea._

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**So do I suck?**


	2. Tony

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins. The lyrics in the summary belong to Band of Horses - "The Funeral".**

**A/N: So far so good. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

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Tea had spent the morning avoiding both Tony and Michelle. She knew it wouldn't last but she wanted to think a little, formulate a plan on what to say to either of them once she saw them. She knew Tony would never tell Michelle what happened and that it would be her decision on when, not if, she would tell Michelle. She didn't want to keep something like this from Michelle. They were friends, always had been and hearing it from anyone else would surely end that friendship before Tea could explain. She headed to the cafeteria with Daisy and knew she would have to act indifferent until she could speak to Tony alone and clarify things for once and for all with him.

"Your head still fogged up?" Daisy asked when she noticed how Tea seemed to be somewhere else.

"What? Oh, nah, just thinking about a few things." Tea replied.

"Anything I need to know?"

"No. if there was you know I'd tell you so I could get your 'sage' advice."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "You mean just plain common sense? That I can definitely provide."

Tea laughed, "Yeah, that."

Their friends were already seated at their table and as they approached, Tony looked up at Tea, a question in his eyes. Tea shifted her gaze and greeted everyone before sitting next to Abbud. Abbud and Chris were entertaining everyone else with their expectations for the party tonight. Tea joined in occasionally, blatantly ignoring the looks Tony would throw across the table. _Michelle's sitting right there dumbass!_ Sometimes Tony's actions made her so mad then he'd turn around and say something smooth or charming and bounce right out of trouble. Finally she couldn't take it anymore.

"Tony, you wanna come with me for a sec?"

"Okay," Tony answered before getting up and following her out of the cafeteria.

"Tony?" Michelle asked as she noticed him getting up from the table.

"Don't worry. Tea's just trying to get out of me helping her find someone," Tony replied with a smirk.

Tea narrowed her eyes but didn't respond before heading towards the hallway. Tea took a quick look back at the table and noticed that almost everyone had continued their conversation. Michelle had a small frown on her face but she shrugged before facing Chris and Abbud again.

She kept walking until she found an empty classroom and walked in, knowing Tony was right behind her.

"You have to stop calling me okay?"

"Only when you admit it."

"Admit what, Tony?"

"That we could work. I matched you good and you just don't want to admit the fact that I, a guy, matched you." Tony replied with a smirk.

"Are you serious right now? Our conversation wasn't boring and you danced with me so now I must like you?" Tea asked incredulously.

"Yeah." Tony simply answered.

"Uh..how about no. I told you already. I" Tea pointed to herself" am a lesbian, in other words I like girls and you," she pointed to Tony, "are not a girl ergo it's so not going to happen."

"You said you were looking for someone who was interesting, who could keep you interested. Well, didn't I do that? Don't I do that?"

"What part of 'I'm gay' do you not get? Did you ever think that maybe we're so compatible because our personalities are similar? We have zero chemistry and you have a dick."

"We do have chemistry. We hooked up." Tony answered with a frown.

"And I laughed! I know you're used to girls falling all over themselves for you but not this time Tony. It was enjoyable to the point of hilarious. I was drunk and not thinking straight. One night with Tony Snyder, as hard as it is for you to get, isn't going to make me straight."

"You just haven't given it a chance and you're a coward for it."

"No Tony. I just know who I am and who I want and it's not you."

Tony had stopped smirking. "You'll never find a girl who can keep you as interested as I can. All because you're too scared to take a chance. With me."

Tea sighed. "Even if I wasn't gay Tony I wouldn't do that to Michelle. Remember her? She's your girlfriend and my friend."

"Forget Michelle for a minute and just be honest with me. Take a chance with me and I can show you that we could work."

Tea shook her head. _He doesn't get it at all!_ "I'm gay Tony. G-A-Y. That isn't going to change now, tomorrow or even next year. So please stop calling and stop with the staring. It's beginning to creep me out." She picked up her bag from where she had placed it on the floor and began to walk towards the door.

"Fine. But don't expect me to still be here when you realize your mistake Tea." Tony called out to her as she walked out of the classroom. Tea shook her head again. She had had enough. If Tony couldn't take it, it wasn't her problem anymore.

She didn't go back to the cafeteria knowing that Tony would try to get her back for rejecting him. _He's going to try anyways, it's Tony and Tony hates losing at anything_. She still had to figure what to do about Michelle and she didn't want Tony jeopardizing that with his bullshit.

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**Keep reviewing please! I want to know if there's anything I need fix. I accept all forms of criticism as long as its constructive and informative.**


	3. Michelle

**Disclaimer:****I don't own Skins. The lyrics in the summary belong to Band of Horses - "The Funeral".**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, I was catching up on the previous Skins episodes to see if I could get some material and I did! You might see it in this chapter. Then school hit (boo!). Oh, if I haven't mentioned it already, this story is going to be told from Tea's POV.**

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**Michelle:**

_Why are we even here?_ Tea continued to follow Dave, their teacher, with her classmates. _We're in the middle of the Canadian wilderness and for what? Dave-time?_ They had been on their way to a Dave-inspired field trip in Canada when their teacher had hit a moose, damaging the bus, and forcing them to walk the rest of the way.

Tea looked over and saw Michelle smiling at her with a knowing look. She smiled back a little, her guilt still pushing through. She didn't bother looking back knowing that Tony had been staring at her since they got into the bus. She had stated her side and if he couldn't accept it, it wasn't her problem anymore. _Michelle still is though_.

They finally reached the camp Dave had been raving about and to say they were pissed was an understatement. It was a small encampment with a few tents, no electricity and by the looks of it, barely any plumbing. Tina and Dave then split them up into pairs for the tents and Tea ended up with Michelle.

After being told the rules and regulations, most of them had wandered off to do their own thing. Michelle was lying on a table with her iPod in her ears, Tea was drawing her and Daisy was sitting on the same table as Michelle and reading a book. She hadn't meant to start drawing Michelle but her hand had made up its mind and she had started sketching her friend. Drawing made things disappear for a bit. All she had to do was focus on the object and place the lines on the paper. Michelle's lips though, were definitely distracting. Tea kept retracing her lines over and over those lips before she realized what she was doing. _Can't say I've never noticed how hot she is_. Tea smirked to herself before facing her picture again.

She felt Abbud come and sit by her before he proceeded to look over her arm at what she was doing. Sometimes Abbud reminded her of a puppy. A confused and horny one, but a puppy nonetheless.

"Way to go with the number, Bud." Daisy drawled.

"Which do you wanna be? The 6 or the 9 baby." Abbud answered with a smirk.

"You wish." Michelle interjected.

"Aye! Lucky number 8, nice." Abbud stated as he touched Tea's shirt. _More like groped_.

"Whoohoo." Tea deadpanned.

Abbud faced down, dejected, before looking up at her again. "Hey Tea, can I bunk in your tent tonight?"

Tea restrained from rolling her eyes at him. _Another guy who just doesn't get it_. "Michelle's bunking in my tent tonight," she replied, smiling a little at the prospect.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Silence followed after that.

"Okay," Abbud nodded. "Well I'm going to go. Tony said he might have found some drugs for us."

"Let us know if they're legit?" Daisy asked him as he stood to leave. Once he nodded she went back to her book.

Tea looked over at the red head before facing her drawing again. She felt…flushed. When she looked up again she saw Daisy watching her with a puzzled look on her face. Daisy raised an eyebrow and Tea held her gaze before looking down again, not willing to have all her secrets out just yet.

They spent most of the afternoon on the wooden benches before having their campfire-cooked supper. Once that was done, everyone ignored Dave's invitation at sitting by the fire and telling ghost stories. They all headed towards their respective tents to sleep.

Tea had thought it over and tonight would be as good time as any to tell Michelle about what happened between Tony and her. So she waited for Michelle to come back from wherever she had gone.

"Hey," Betty greeted as she walked into the tent. "Can we talk?"

Tea nodded before closing her sketchbook. Michelle's face flashed at her before the pages closed.

"So have you thought about…?"

"What happened in the cafeteria? Yeah. It doesn't change anything with Betty."

"Why not?"

"Because relationships suck! No one's ever honest or loyal when they get involved with someone else. Plus, I already told you, I don't do relationships."

"Liar." Betty answered. "You're not too _cool_ to have a relationship. In fact, you're just scared, a coward."

Tea said nothing to that. _I am a coward but I'd rather be a coward and alone than date someone who doesn't interest me._

"That's it? You've got nothing to say now?" Betty asked incredulously.

Tea still didn't answer.

"Fine. Be that way Tea and stay alone." Betty stated quietly before leaving the tent.

As soon as she had left Michelle ducked in. "Was that Betty?"

"Yeah."

"She seemed upset," Michelle said as she looked at Tea.

Tea shrugged, she really didn't want to discuss anything to do with Betty.

Michelle stared at her before moving to her bed. After she had changed into her pyjamas, which Tea tried really hard not to watch, and slipped into her bed she faced Tea again. _Please don't ask me again Chelle_.

"Tony won't have sex with me."

_What?_ Tea looked up from her drawing pad. "Did you just say _Tony_ won't have sex…with you?"

Michelle nodded. "We tried to…you know, earlier and he said he was tired. Tony, too tired for sex."

"Uh…"

"Or maybe too tired to fuck me," Michelle continued. She rolled her eyes at that.

"No one could ever get tired of _fucking_ you," Tea muttered. "Maybe he really was tired Chelle," she answered aloud.

"Yeah…sure." Michelle replied. She looked at Tea again. "Sometimes I think you've got it right you know? Relationships do suck."

_Yeah, especially when your boyfriend thinks he can turn a lesbian straight_. "Not all relationships suck." Tea stated.

Michelle chuckled. "Oh so now you think relationships are okay."

"No," Tea replied, "but I know you and Tony. You guys are solid."

"You think so?" Michelle answered, a little vulnerability creeping into her voice.

_She really loves him. Tony you're such a dick!_ "Yeah, I'm sure it was nothing and you guys will be making out everywhere again."

"Yeah…" Michelle mumbled before settling deeper into her bed. "Thanks Tay. Goodnight."

"No problem and goodnight." _Sometimes I wish you didn't love him so much Chelle because you deserve so much better._

_

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_**Go on...press the button below.**


	4. Inhale

**Author's Notes: It's been awhile I know but I'm trying to update my stories as often as I can while I juggle RL. Don't know if people are still reading this story but, there you go.**

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Camping had sucked! That was all Tea could say about those few days they spent in the Canadian wilderness. She hadn't fixed anything. Tony was still hanging around, Betty still tried too hard and Michelle was still oblivious. She felt like she was suffocating with all the crap swirling around in her head. Everyone else didn't see anything different and Tony thought she was acting weird because of him. She couldn't even count the number of times she rolled her eyes after catching him staring. He was becoming more and more obvious and Tea did not want that.

Tea closed her locker door only to find Michelle standing beside it. Her heart sped up.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" Michelle asked her.

"Chelle, geez!" Tea almost screamed out.

Michelle laughed. "Sorry I thought you knew I was standing here."

"No I didn't see you. What was your question again?"

"I wanted to know what you were up to tonight. We haven't hung out, just the two of us, in ages so I want us to do that today."

"Um…sure. Okay. Your place?"

"Nope. Yours. I haven't seen you Dad for awhile plus your Mom makes a mean pasta."

"She does, doesn't she?" Tea answered reflectively. _I kinda forget that sometimes_.

"Yup. So I wanna eat at yours then we can get some ice cream after."

"Okay. Let me know when you're coming by?"

Michelle nodded before moving away from Tea's locker. "See you later."

"Yeah." Tea replied. She watched Michelle walk away, her eyes sweeping lower down to Michelle's legs in that tiny, tiny skirt. A small smirk found its way onto her face. _Chelle should wear that every day._

Her vision was blocked by someone. Tea looked away to find Betty standing in front of her.

"You're staring. At Michelle." Betty stated.

"Yeah so? She's hot and I'm not blind." Tea answered before looking for a way to get out of this conversation.

"She's your best friend." Betty stated again.

"Again, so?"

"Does she know you perv over her?" Betty asked, a frown appearing on her face.

Tea rolled her eyes. _My eyes are going to end up stuck in this position with all the rolling I'm doing_. "Probably. She knows I'm gay and I find girls attractive. I'm just appreciating."

"Right." Betty sighed. "Do you wanna, maybe, hang out this weekend?"

"No. Got a date with Michelle." Tea replied before heading down the hallway.

"A date? But…" Betty asked incredulously as she followed Tea.

"But what? She's coming over then we're going for ice cream."

"She's not gay. Or bi."

"Doesn't stop her from coming over."

"But she's with Tony."

Tea stopped walking. "Look Betty, she's my friend so we're going to hang out at my house."

"Oh." Betty said, a smile beginning on her face.

"That doesn't mean I'm going to go out with you either. Please stop with the whole chasing after me thing. I'm not playing hard to get and I'm not being difficult. I'm just not interested."

"But the other night…"

"The other night was just one night. That's it. I wanted to get off and you were there."

Betty gasped. "You're such a bitch."

"If that's what it takes for you to finally get it, then yes, I am a bitch. I've got class now so I'm gonna walk away from you and we're not having this conversation ever again."

"Whatever Tea," Betty replied before pushing past her and walking off.

_That was mean_. Tea sighed and looked to the floor. _I just wanna be left alone_. She looked up again to find Tony watching her from his locker. Scoffing slightly she walked by him and into her classroom. _That's the last thing I need from today_.

Classes dragged on for the rest of the day, not that Tea was paying attention. All she could think about was how she was going to tell Michelle what happened with Tony. With Michelle coming over, there really wasn't going to be a better time to tell her without any interruptions. _Just be strong Tea, if you tell her truth maybe she'll understand…or not._

When the final bell rang she headed out into the car park where her Dad was waiting to take her home.

"How was school?" Her Dad asked.

"The same as always."

He nodded at her answer.

"Michelle's coming over."

"That's nice. You tell your mother?"

"Not yet. I'll let her know when we get home."

"She'll be happy to see her. So will I. She hasn't been over in a long time."

"Will you make sure that Marco goes away after dinner? He always wants to bother me when I have people over."

"I will. You know your brother just does that to annoy you."

"I know. And it is annoying."

"Okay. I'll watch him."

"Thank you."

The car continued to roll on down the streets. Tea liked this time she spent with her Dad. After school he'd ask her how things were then he'd just let her be until they got home and her mother would start on her about one thing or the other. She could just _breathe_ when they were quiet like this.

"Did that boy ever talk to you again?"

Tea looked at her father with some confusion.

"You know. Snyder's kid. Did you two…you know?"

"No Dad. We talked but that was all."

"Oh okay so I won't have to hunt him down then."

"Not unless you want to piss off your buddy."

Marco Marvelli nodded. Tea hoped he'd finally stop setting her up with his friend's sons now. Especially if they all turned out to be like Tony.

"Here we are." Her Dad stated as they parked in the driveway. "Remember, not a word to your mother okay?"

"Okay Dad. I promised didn't I?"

"Yeah you did but I was just making sure."

Tea nodded before getting out of the car and heading towards the door. Once she reached her room she locked her door and threw herself onto her bed. She faced her Audrey Hepburn poster and sighed quietly.

"What do I do now Audrey?" She took a deep breath before letting it out. "I'm gonna need you tonight okay? You might end being the only friend I'll have." she uttered in a whisper.

_Tonight, I'll do it tonight._

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**Thank you to all those people who kept asking me to update. I'll try and do it as often as I possibly can.**


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